SE North Carolina News

The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has approved two pieces of legislation led by Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee Chairman David Rouzer aimed at reforming the Clean Water Act permitting processes. The legislation is focused on increasing permitting efficiency and reducing burdensome and duplicative government regulations.

Chairman Rouzer expressed his commitment to reducing red tape and delivering on permitting reform, stating, "Time is money, and ensuring important infrastructure and energy development projects do not become stuck in a bureaucratic quagmire is vital to addressing supply chain challenges and promoting commerce." He emphasized the need for targeted, commonsense reforms that make regulations simple to understand and easy to follow, which will ultimately keep projects on time and on budget while maintaining the nation's clean water infrastructure.

Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Sam Graves praised Chairman Rouzer's bills, stating that they would bring common sense and certainty to Clean Water Act permitting processes while protecting the nation's waters. He clarified that the bills do not overhaul or roll back the Clean Water Act but rather ensure that permitting processes are more consistent and transparent.

The first piece of legislation introduced by Chairman Rouzer and passed by the Committee includes an amendment to H.R. 7023, known as the Creating Confidence in Clean Water Permitting Act. This package consists of five standalone bills that aim to strengthen the permitting process. Chairman Rouzer's own H.R. 7023, the Nationwide Permitting Improvement Act, is part of this package. The bill streamlines the Nationwide Permit (NWP) process and provides certainty for regulated entities involved in improving U.S. energy production, transportation infrastructure, and other commercial activities.

H.R. 7023 has received endorsements from various organizations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, American Petroleum Institute, National Association of Home Builders, and National Mining Association, among others. These endorsements highlight the broad support for the legislation within the industry.

In addition to H.R. 7023, the Committee also passed H.R. 5089, the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act, introduced by Chairman Rouzer. This bill eliminates a duplicative regulatory process at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the use of pesticides while maintaining public health and environmental protections. H.R. 5089 has also received endorsements from organizations such as the American Farm Bureau Federation, National Association of Realtors, and US Chamber of Commerce.

Chairman Rouzer has been a strong advocate for reducing red tape and delivering on permitting reform as the Chairman of the Water Resources and Environment Subcommittee. He played a key role in overturning the Biden Administration's overreaching WOTUS rule and secured permitting reform contributions in H.R. 1 to support the construction of energy infrastructure. Additionally, he has taken steps to address permitting disruptions and economic loss through initiatives like the bipartisan Congressional Supply Chain Caucus.

In addition to the legislation related to clean water permitting, the full Committee also approved H.R. 6248, the Think Differently Transportation Act, and H.R. 7070, the Wildfire Response Improvement Act.

The approval of these bills by the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee marks a significant step in reforming the Clean Water Act permitting processes. The focus on increasing efficiency, reducing burdensome regulations, and ensuring transparency and consistency in permitting will contribute to the development of vital infrastructure and energy projects while protecting the environment.